Soap sponge

ABSTRACT

A soap sponge is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the sponge includes a top layer and a bottom layer of a porous polyurethane foam material, where the layers each further include a netted mesh. The sponge also includes a seam securing together a continuous portion of a periphery of the top layer and the bottom layer so that an interior open volume between the top layer and the bottom layer is defined by the seam. A mouth is disposed at an edge of the sponge and is adapted to access the interior open volume. The sponge further includes an elastic band secured to the mouth of the sponge, where the elastic band is adapted to maintain the mouth in closed position and to stretch open only upon the application of force to place a bar of soap inside.

I. FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is generally related to a soap sponge.

II. BACKGROUND

Mesh bags have been used in the past to store bars of soap. The bags areadapted to allow water to penetrate and to make the soap bar soft and toform lather. A drawstring is used to open and close the bag. However, ashortcoming of the mesh bags is the drawstring interferes when using thebag as a washcloth. In addition, the drawstring is susceptible tobecoming loose during use causing the contents to spill out.Accordingly, there is a need for a soap sponge that is easy to placesoap inside and to securely hold the soap inside without accidentlyspilling out. There is also a need in the art for a soap sponge that isergonomic in nature.

It is, therefore, to the effective resolution of the aforementionedproblems and shortcomings of the prior art that the present invention isdirected.

However, in view of the prior art at the time the present invention wasmade, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent arthow the identified needs could be fulfilled.

III. SUMMARY

In a particular embodiment, the sponge includes a top layer and a bottomlayer of a porous polyurethane foam material, where the layers eachfurther include a netted mesh. The sponge also includes a seam securingtogether a continuous portion of a periphery of the top layer and thebottom layer so that an interior open volume between the top layer andthe bottom layer is defined by the seam. A mouth is disposed at an edgeof the sponge and is adapted to access the interior open volume. Thesponge further includes an elastic band secured to the mouth of thesponge, where the elastic band is adapted to maintain the mouth inclosed position and to stretch open only upon the application of forceto place a bar of soap inside.

One particular advantage provided by embodiments of the soap sponge isthe ability of the elastic mouth of the sponge to secure soap insidewithout spilling out. This is particularly advantageous when bathingwhere the soap sponge is being used to scrub body parts and beingsubjected to shower spray that would tend to cause the soap sponge toaccidentally open if not secured closed by the elastic.

Other aspects, advantages, and features of the present disclosure willbecome apparent after review of the entire application, including thefollowing sections: Brief Description of the Drawings, DetailedDescription, and the Claims.

IV. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a particular embodiment of a soap sponge;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the soap sponge of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the soap sponge of FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 4 is cross sectional view along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 of the soapsponge.

V. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a particular illustrative embodiment of asoap sponge is disclosed and generally designated 100. The sponge 100includes a top layer 104 and a bottom layer 106. A seam 102 securestogether a continuous portion of a periphery of the top layer 104 andthe bottom layer 106 to form a pouch. A loop 108 may be secured to theseam 102, the top layer 104, the bottom layer 106, or any combinationthereof. Each end of the loop 108 is fixed stationary to the sponge 100so that the loop 108 maintains a fixed length. The sponge 100 is adaptedto hang from the loop 108 in a vertical position.

An interior open volume is formed between the top layer 104 and thebottom layer 106 and is defined by the seam 102. Accordingly, a bar ofsoap or sliver(s) of soap may be placed within the interior open volume.A mouth 110 of the sponge 100 is disposed along an edge of the sponge100 and it is adapted to provide access to the interior open volume. Themouth 110 may have a V-shaped notch or flange within the top layer 104and the bottom layer 106. This V-shaped notch gives the mouth 110 of thesponge 100 somewhat of a “clam-like” or funnel shape appearance. TheV-shaped notch has a larger open end to form the inlet of the sponge 100and tapers to the interior of the sponge 100. The configuration of themouth 110 helps to prevent the soap from accidentally spilling out fromthe sponge 100. The sponge 100 may be shaped to be ergonomic and to fitin a palm of a user's hand.

As best shown in FIG. 3, the mouth 110 provides access to the interioropen volume 114 described above. An elastic band 112 is secured aroundthe mouth 110 of the sponge 100, where the elastic band 112 is adaptedto maintain the mouth 110 in a closed position and will stretch openonly upon the application of force to place an item, such as a bar ofsoap inside. The band 112 may be flat and adapted to hinge about alongitudinal axis aligned with the seam 102 when being opened.

Referring now to FIG. 4, which is a cross sectional view along line 4-4of FIG. 3 of the sponge 100, the cross section shows that it may be madeof a porous material 116. This porous material allows water and soaplather to pass through the top layer 104 and the bottom layer 106, butto retain the soap inside the sponge 100. The interior open volume 114of the sponge 100 is defined by two mostly similar halves comprised ofthe top layer 104 and the bottom layer 106, where each half includes aninterior generally planar surface 120 that transitions to curved,sloping sidewalls 118. The porous material 118 may be polyurethane foam,netting material, cotton material, open weave, or any combinationthereof. For example, the top and/or bottom layers 104, 106 may becomprised of a polyurethane foam covered by netted mesh.

One or more embodiments of the disclosure may be referred to herein,individually and/or collectively, by the term “invention” merely forconvenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of thisapplication to any particular invention or inventive concept. Moreover,although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any subsequent arrangementdesigned to achieve the same or similar purpose may be substituted forthe specific embodiments shown. This disclosure is intended to cover anyand all subsequent adaptations or variations of various embodiments.Combinations of the above embodiments, and other embodiments notspecifically described herein, will be apparent to those of skill in theart upon reviewing the description.

The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R.§1.52(b) and is submitted with the understanding that it will not beused to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. Inaddition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, various features may begrouped together or described in a single embodiment for the purpose ofstreamlining the disclosure. This disclosure is not to be interpreted asreflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require morefeatures than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as thefollowing claims reflect, inventive subject matter may be directed toless than all of the features of any of the disclosed embodiments. Thus,the following claims are incorporated into the Detailed Description,with each claim standing on its own as defining separately claimedsubject matter.

The above-disclosed subject matter is to be considered illustrative, andnot restrictive, and the appended claims are intended to cover all suchmodifications, enhancements, and other embodiments, which fall withinthe true spirit and scope of the present invention. Thus, to the maximumextent allowed by law, the scope of the present invention is to bedetermined by the broadest permissible interpretation of the followingclaims and their equivalents, and shall not be restricted or limited bythe foregoing detailed description.

What is claimed is:
 1. A soap sponge, the sponge comprising: a toplayer; a bottom layer; a seam securing together a continuous portion ofa periphery of the top layer and the bottom layer; an interior openvolume between the top layer and the bottom layer defined by the seam; amouth disposed at an edge of the sponge and adapted to access theinterior open volume; and an elastic band secured to the mouth of thesponge, wherein the elastic band is adapted to maintain the mouth inclosed position and to stretch open only upon the application of forceto place an item inside.
 2. The soap sponge of claim 1, the mouth of thesponge further comprising a V-shaped notch within the top layer and thebottom layer, wherein the mouth having a larger open end to form aninlet of the sponge and tapers to the interior open volume of thesponge.
 3. The soap sponge of claim 2, wherein the item is a solid soapbar or a portion of at least one solid soap bar.
 4. The soap sponge ofclaim 3, further comprising a loop stationary secured to the seam, thetop layer, the bottom layer, or any combination thereof, and the spongeis adapted to hang from the loop in a vertical position.
 5. The soapsponge of claim 4, wherein the top layer is comprised of a porouspolyurethane foam material.
 6. The soap sponge of claim 5, wherein thebottom layer is comprised of a porous polyurethane foam material.
 7. Thesoap sponge of claim 6, wherein the top layer further comprising anetted mesh.
 8. The soap sponge of claim 7, wherein the bottom layerfurther comprising the netted mesh.
 9. The soap sponge of claim 8,wherein the sponge is shaped to fit in a palm of a user's hand.
 10. Thesoap sponge of claim 9, wherein the elastic band secured to the mouth ofthe sponge is flat and adapted to hinge about a longitudinal axisaligned with the seam when being opened.
 11. A soap sponge, the spongecomprising: a pouch; an interior space within the pouch and adapted tosecure at least a portion of a bar of soap therein; a mouth of thesponge adapted to access the interior space; and an elastic band securedto the mouth, wherein the elastic band is adapted to maintain the mouthin a closed position and to stretch open only upon the application offorce to place the soap inside.
 12. The soap sponge of claim 11, themouth of the sponge further comprising a funnel shape into the interiorspace within the pouch.
 13. The soap sponge of claim 12, wherein theitem is a solid soap bar or a portion of at least one solid soap bar.14. The soap sponge of claim 13, further comprising a loop stationarysecured to an edge of the sponge, and the sponge is adapted to hang fromthe loop in a vertical position.
 15. The soap sponge of claim 14,wherein an inner surface of the pouch is comprised of a porouspolyurethane foam material.
 16. The soap sponge of claim 15, wherein thepouch is comprised of a top portion and bottom portion secured togetheralong a periphery to form the pouch.
 17. The soap sponge of claim 16,wherein the elastic band is adapted to lay flat around the funnel shapeof the mouth.
 18. The soap sponge of claim 17, wherein the sponge isadapted to be grasped by a user's hand.
 19. A soap sponge, the spongecomprising: a top layer of a porous polyurethane foam material, whereinthe top layer further comprising a netted mesh; a bottom layer of theporous polyurethane foam material, wherein the bottom layer furthercomprising the netted mesh; a seam securing together a continuousportion of a periphery of the top layer and the bottom layer; aninterior open volume between the top layer and the bottom layer definedby the seam; a mouth disposed at an edge of the sponge and adapted toaccess the interior open volume; and an elastic band secured to themouth of the sponge, wherein the elastic band is adapted to maintain themouth in closed position and to stretch open only upon the applicationof force to place an item inside; wherein the item is a solid soap baror a portion of at least one solid soap bar.
 20. The soap sponge ofclaim 19, wherein the mouth of the sponge further comprising a V-shapednotch within the top layer and the bottom layer.